Global Workforce Initiative (GWI)

  • Educate
  • Invest
  • Connect

Download Global Workforce Initiative Brochure (.pdf)

The Global Workforce Initiative addresses the triple bottom line of Economy, Equity, and Environment.  Meeting this demand is critical to the energy efficiency of the built environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing economic productivity of these buildings, and providing education and employment opportunities in the profession of facility management.

GWI programs are offered through the IFMA Foundation’s

  • FM Accredited Degree Programs (ADP)
  • FM Registered Degree Programs (RDP)
  • FM Talent Development Pipeline (TDP)

Students enrolled in GWI programs have the opportunity to participate in scholarship programs, internships, job shadowing and our signature student competition called IgniteFM! The Student Challenge.

We Educate

students and incumbent workers through our accredited and registered degree programs in higher education institutions.  Our talent development pipeline programs engage students and incumbent workers to prepare for the facility management profession which impacts the triple bottom line.

We Invest

in the future by providing new career opportunities through  scholarships, internship programs, career fairs, job listings, job shadowing and our Ignite FM! student competitions.

We Connect

with communities to inform students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, community organizations, economic development and government  agencies about an exciting and prosperous career opportunity.

Quotes from GWI Partners

Irene Thomas Johnson, JLL, Executive Director

“The Global Workforce Initiative is a critical effort to ensure the continued sustainability of the facility management (FM) profession.  There is a serious labor shortage on the horizon within the facility management industry and without decisive action this shortage will have serious ramifications on the future of the built environment. JLL is proud to collaborate with the IFMA Foundation on this critical initiative with the collective goal to attract diverse talent to careers in FM and support their long-term growth through training and education opportunities.”

Jennifer Davidson,  Sodexo Recruitment Manager

“As a global FM industry leader, we believe it is vital to lead in the solution development by leveraging our expertise in FM and our expertise as a leader in diversity and inclusion to build a stronger and more diverse pool of FM talent for the future.  The IFMA Foundation Global Workplace Initiative Advisory Council gives us that opportunity to participate internationally, nationally and locally to collaboratively work with industry and academic leaders to create and implement solutions.”

Tony Piucci, Sr. Vice President ABM Business and Industry Facility Services Solutions

“As an industry veteran, it’s always exciting to help young people and career-changers break into our profession, and I enjoy the IFMA Foundation’s Ignite FM! Student Competitions.  What really struck me about this competition was how the winning team — and all of the teams – were able to collaborate, come up with a solution, and present it in such a clear and thoughtful way. The energy, diversity and creativity of this new generation is bringing to our industry is remarkable. “

 

Michael Schley, IFMA Fellow and Founder of FM:Systems

“We at FM:Systems believe fervently in the mission of the IFMA Foundation to support and expand higher education in facility management. GWI, the Global Workforce Initiative, is critical not just in filling a workforce gap but in elevating facility management to a true profession.”

 

Christian Pellecchia, VP Slatter Construction, VP IFMA Silicon Valley Chapter, College of San Mateo FM Instructor

“The IFMA Foundation Global Workforce Initiative has re-energized the IFMA Silicon Valley Chapter.  As the instructor for the new FM program at College of San Mateo, we require students taking the Essentials of Facility Management (EoFM) to attend a minimum of three Silicon Valley chapter meetings.  I trained the students in networking prior to their first IFMA meeting.  The energy of the students was infectious and has re-engaged our members.  Our chapter is fully supportive of the future of FM and making FM a career of choice.”

 

Miriam Chacon, Student, College of San Mateo, Project Administrator, Western Allied Mechanical, Inc

“I want to thank my instructor, Christian Pellecchia, for supporting my career path while I earn certificates in both Facilities Management and Project Management. Had it not been for Christian and Silicon Valley Chapter president Jeremy Goodland, I would have never met the wonderful people who I call my IFMA family today. The Facilities Management Program at the College of San Mateo opened my eyes to how I could use transferable skills and learn about greater job opportunities. Christian was smart for requiring us students attend IFMA local chapter events as part of our class.  He told us, “You never know who you’re going to meet at an IFMA event, it could be your next employer.”  Before our class was even finished, six students were hired through IFMA chapter sponsored events and I am fortunate to be one of them.  Thank you IFMA Silicon Valley Chapter and IFMA Foundation”even finished, six students were hired through IFMA chapter sponsored events and I am fortunate to be one of them.  Thank you IFMA Silicon Valley Chapter and IFMA Foundation”

 

GWI Advisory Partners

GWI Advisor Benefits (.pdf)

The IFMA Foundation encourages FM as a Career of Choice. Through the Global Workforce Initiative (GWI), the Foundation and our volunteers are encouraging students to consider a career path in Facility Management.

FM is facing a severe lack of trained professionals entering the workforce. In the next five to 15 years, more than 50 percent of the existing FM workforce will retire. The IFMA Foundation has accredited degrees in FM around the world with more than 4,000 FM students enrolled in these 30 degree programs. However, the annual demand for new FM’s entering the profession is far greater than this number – with some companies individually looking to hire more than a quarter of this number of students annually. Graduates of these accredited programs enjoy a nearly 100 percent placement rate, typically with multiple job offers and opportunities.

To help fill this growing workforce gap, the Foundation’s Global Workforce Initiative connects education, training, support services and credentials for FM while engaging national, regional and local employers to help meet their needs while strengthening their workforces and local economies. FM educational programs address high school, community college and higher education institutions.

Our current pilot implementations in Northern and Southern California, New York City, Dallas/Fort Worth and other areas have already reached more than 1500 students in dozens of high schools. The number of regions and chapters involved continues to grow.

Sodexo Logo
ABM Logo

Become a Global Workforce Advisor

If you are interested in learning more about our Global Workforce Initiative (GWI) or in becoming a Global Workforce Initiative Advisor, please contact Diane Levine at +1 281-974-5620 or diane.levine@ifma.org

Thank you to our donors for helping to make FM a career of choice

GWI Advisory Partners

abm
fms
1200 JLL_logo.svg
sodexo

Scholarship Sponsors

airport
atlanta
capital
dfw
denver
eastern-iowa
greater-philadelphia
greater-triangle
hong-kong
indianapolis
nyc
southeastern-wisconsin
suncoast
utilities
west-michigan

IFMA Community Donors

boston
capital
central-ohio
charlotte
clubs
fmcc
greater-phonix
hawaii
houston
indianapolis
nevada
new-mexico
nyc
ny-tech-valley
orange-county
orlando
san-fernando
silicon-valley
we
westchester-county-hudson-valley

Corporate/Organization Donors

aam
abm
aeg
cws
diversey
dppm
fms
gi
grow
iss
kimball
marsden
milliken
netsphere
planon
sempra
sodexo
staples
st-moritz
tennant
wolcott

Individual Donors

Alexi Marmot
Alexi Marmot
Andrea Sanchez
Andrea Sanchez
Annemarie Kis-Horvath
Annemarie Kis-Horvath
Carlos A. Padron
Carlos A. Padron
Carlos Santamaria
Carlos Santamaria
Case Runolfson
Case Runolfson
Chris Hansen
Chris Hansen
Corey Lawson-Enos
Corey Lawson-Enos
Cynthia Clayton
Cynthia Clayton
Dallas Schwerin
Dallas Schwerin
David W Smith
David W Smith
Dean Stanberry
Dean Stanberry
Deborah Rowland
Deborah Rowland
Diane Levine
Diane Levine
Edmond P. Rondeau
Edmond P. Rondeau
Eileen Anne McMorrow
Eileen Anne McMorrow
Erik Jaspers
Erik Jaspers
Graham John Tier
Graham John Tier
Irene Thomas-Johnson
Irene Thomas-Johnson
Israel Rodriguez
Israel Rodriguez
Joseph Archie
Joseph Archie
Joseph Dittberner
Joseph Dittberner
Julie Robinson
Julie Robinson
Laura Shaw
Laura Shaw
Leah York
Leah York
Michael and Karen Schley Foundation
Michael and Karen Schley Foundation
Michael K. Redding
Michael K. Redding
Michele M. Gregg
Michele M. Gregg
Nancy Sanquist
Nancy Sanquist
Paige Butterfield
Paige Butterfield
Pat Turnbull
Pat Turnbull
Regina Ford-Cahill
Regina Ford-Cahill
Richard Echevarria
Richard Echevarria
Robert Dills
Robert Dills
Samson Lee
Samson Lee
Sempra Employee Giving Network
Sempra Employee Giving Network
Tony Piucci
Tony Piucci